Our History

In 1947, Navajo Missions founder Jack Drake moved from Michigan to minister at the Navajo Methodist Mission School in Farmington, New Mexico. When Jack and his wife were approached by Navajo families for support, their words broke Jake’s heart.

Jack resigned from Navajo Methodist Mission School in 1952 to build a children’s home for homeless Navajo children. When he applied for a $12,000 loan from a local bank to purchase 12-acres of land, he was turned down. Instead, the president of the bank donated the money to Jack for this ministry.

In 1953, founder Jack Drake pitched a borrowed tent on the west edge of Farmington. Thus began Navajo Missions, a ministry designed to care for children from the four Corners region who needed a secure place to call home.